The decisions we make about what we consume affect our health as well as our planet and the cosmetics industry is one of the biggest culprits in harming both. In our interview with ASHES TO LIFE, a social business that sells organic cosmetics, we gained an insight into the industry and learned which ingredients we should avoid so as not to harm our skin or our planet.
Conventional cosmetics contain small amounts of chemicals that, on their own, are supposedly not harmful. The problem arises when these small amounts of chemicals and contaminants come together.
A 150ml bottle can contain between 130,000 and 2,800,000 microbeads.
So every time we use an exfoliating face wash or conventional toothpaste we are introducing thousands of small pieces of plastic into the environment. What is more, products that contain toxic substances may actually harm those who use them. The average European uses 17 cosmetic products per day, which leads to serious consequences for our skin as well as the environment.
Cosmetics that are natural and organic are becoming increasingly popular across the world, with the industry experiencing annual growth of between 8 and 10%.
However, it is important to understand the difference between natural and organic cosmetics, as organic ones are very different from and far better than natural ones. Natural cosmetics are only limited in terms of the ingredients they can contain. These must all be natural, but there is no guarantee that no harmful chemicals were used in the production of the ingredients themselves.
Organic products on the other hand are made of natural ingredients that have not been genetically modified or treated with chemicals during their production.
Organic cosmetics are considered to be more environmentally friendly because of how they are produced. Other factors include higher energy savings, zero pesticides, good waste management and increased control of emissions.
Some social businesses, such as ASHES TO LIFE, have chosen to certify their products with the Spanish BioVidaSana seal, which states that 95% of the ingredients used in a product must be organic. This certification also guarantees that the raw materials as well as the finished product comply with the following criteria:
- They have not been exposed to irradiation.
- They have not been tested on animals.
- They neither contain genetically modified ingredients nor have these been used to produce the ingredients.
- They do not contain nanoparticles.
- The production process does not harm the environment or our health.
The conventional cosmetics industry uses more than 10,500 ingredients. Most of these are synthetic and from the petrochemical industry. Reading the list of ingredients on a product’s label and learning how to identify those ingredients that are most harmful will help us avoid toxic substances that enter our bodies and accumulate.
Harmful ingredients can cause complaints ranging from allergies and intolerances to skin diseases and cancer.
It would be difficult to learn all of the ingredients a cosmetic product may contain, but what we can do is learn which are the most harmful, so that we can identify them when reading product labels. Products containing any of the following ingredients should be avoided:
Aluminium, boric acid, sodium borate (preservatives), any figures beginning with CI 5 (synthetic dyes), diethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, EDTA, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphre, formaldehyde, aldioxa, alcloxa, allantoin, DMDM hydantoin, MDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, parfum or fragrance, PEG, and finally PPG
The following ingredients should also be avoided: ingredients with the letters –eth, either as a suffix or within the name, petrolatum, paraffinum liquidum, microcrystalline wax, phenoxyethanol, selenium sulfide, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium myreth sulfate, triclosan, triclocarban, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-2 and 3-diol.
This list is meant as a guide and does not mean that ingredients not mentioned will not damage your health. It is meant to help others understand that appearances can be deceptive. Even if the packaging of a product is designed to look “healthy”, what is inside it may not be so healthy. Better to be safe than sorry.
Apart from containing ingredients that can be harmful to our health, conventional cosmetics may also contain substances that contaminate the seas, rivers and lakes of our planet, damaging natural environments either due to their toxicity or because of how they have been produced and endangering the species living in the spaces they go on to contaminate.
Microplastics are an example of such an ingredient. They are added to detergents, toothpastes, creams, exfoliants, etc. and cause serious problems when they enter the environment.
Cosmetic products that use palm oil can harm our skin, but in addition to this, the cultivation of palm oil is closely linked to the deforestation of rainforests. Palm oil is often used to make creams, soaps, lotions, toothpastes, shower gels and sun creams.
When choosing which cosmetic product to buy, reading the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) and identifying harmful ingredients is not enough.
Choosing organic products that are certified is better, as this guarantees that the product you are buying will not harm your skin or the environment.
Read more about ASHES TO LIFE, its philosophy, its products and the positive impact it has achieved so far.
